Along the lake

With a nice wind blowing and temperatures in the 70s, last night was a perfect night for a walk. My friend Long Beautiful Hair and I decided to meet out at the park that stretches along Polluted Sacred Lake. We talked for a couple of hours, walking most of the time along the two paved paths that run along the shore, and sometimes stopping to sit at the edge of a pier or on a bench under a tree.

The park was filled with activity. Bicycles zoomed past, and people on rollerblades. Some runners went by alone, wearing music, while others travelled in packs, shouting encouragement to each other. Parents pushed strollers and held the hands of toddlers. The skateboard park was filled with teenagers, their skateboards slamming hard against the cement as they came down off ramps or rails. The grassy edges of the park were crowded with geese, who waddled along in groups.

Perhaps because of an earlier storm, the marina was quiet, with most of the boats tied up to docks, sails covered and hatches closed. We walked amongst the sailboats and talked about all kinds of things: our marriages, our friendships, our brothers, our childhoods. Always, it's wonderful to confide in a friend who knows you well, who knows how to listen sympathetically, challenge you gently, and laugh with you at how crazy life can be.

Eventually, we both got hungry and walked over to a place that served burgers, salt potatoes, and sweet potato fries. Salt potatoes are a regional specialty: new little potatoes boiled in salt water and served with a cup of melted butter. The cold lemonade tasted good after the long walk: we sat in plastic chairs on a wooden deck, enjoying the evening air. The sun was setting by the time we parted reluctantly, each to return to a busy household.